Libya

Visa-Free

Visa-Free

Passports and visas are required for entry into Libya for all nationalities except nationals of Algeria, Jordan, Mauritania, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. However, citizens of Jordan can visit visa-free for to 1 month; only if holding a 5 year passport, which must be valid for at least one year on arrival. Citizens of Turkey can only visit visa-free for up to 3 months.

Only residents of the Egyptian political division of Matrouh can visit without as visa on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Citizens of the United States/American Samoa can attempt to visit without a visa by having a letter from a established company in Libya that is sponsoring your visit.

Visa Restrictions

Entry will be refused to citizens of Israel and to those who show stamps and/or visas from Israel.

By bus

By bus

There are bus services to Tunisia and Egypt .

Previous scheduled services may take an extended time to restore, please ensure your travel is through a stable area before boarding any service.

By plane

By plane

The Tripoli International Airport IATA: TIP Arabic: مطار طرابلس العالمي, is Libya's largest airport and is located in the town of Ben Ghashir 34km 21 mi south of the Tripoli city centre, the airport was a hub for Libyan Airlines; it is operating again as a hub for Afriqiyah Airways and was also a hub for Buraq Air prior to the airports closure during the Libyan civil war of 2011.

Tripoli was previously served by most major European and Arab airlines in addition to Libyan Airlines which was using the airport as its main hub. Prior to the civil war daily flights were provided to and from most major European international airports such as Heathrow, Paris CDG, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Rome with multiple weekly flights to and from Milan, Manchester, Vienna and Alexandria. A privately operated airline, Afriqiyah (http://www.afriqiyah.be/), and Libyan Airlines owned by the previous Government, were both providing daily services to many European destinations including Brussels, Paris CDG, Amsterdam Schipol and London Gatwick, and African cities with Tripoli as a hub. Scheduled services may resume in the period following the establishment of the transitional administration.

The National Terminal in Tripoli was closed prior to the conflict as part of the construction program of the new airport. Prior to the closure, international and domestic flights were all departing the airport from the main international passenger terminal. The terminal capacity was previously 3 million passengers a year. Two new terminals were to be built within the next several years bringing the total capacity of the airport to 20 million passenger movements. The first new terminal was due to open by March 2011 however the airport now requires extensive reconstruction. The radar system was seriously damaged in a NATO air strike in late August 2011. Fighting at the airport destroyed several commercial airliners and the airport infrastructure was damaged.

The Tripoli International Airport airport was officially re-opened for civil aircraft operations on 11 October 2011.

Nine airlines are now providing limited flights from the Tripoli International Airport to regional international destinations. Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah Airways are providing flights to Benghazi from Tripoli, however all Libyan Airlines operations are uncertain.

The Mitiga International Airport. IATA: MJI, ICAO: HLLM is located about 8 km 5 mi east of Tripoli's city centre. Prior to June 1970, the United States Air Force USAF used the facility. It was at that time known as Wheelus Air Base. Subsequently, the facility was known as Okba Ben Nafi Air Base, a Libyan People's Air Force LPAF installation.

The airport was re-opened for civil operations in October 2011 when Turkish Airlines resumed limited services to Istanbul-Ataturk. Turkish Airlines have since moved their passenger operations back across to Tripoli International airport and announced commencement of cargo operations at Mitiga with services available from 8 January 2012.

The Benina International Airport, IATA: BEN, ICAO: HLLB, Arabic: مطار بنينة الدولي. is located in the town of Benina, 19 km east of Benghazi. Routes between Benghazi to destinations such as Alexandria and Cairo, London and Casablanca were planned to operate from Benghazi. Prior to the civil war international services were seasonal.

That airport reopened after the lifting of the NATO enforced NFZ and limited services are available; Afriqiyah Airways to Tripoli and Misrata, Libyan Airlines to Alexandria, Cairo, Tripoli and Tunis, Qatar Airways to Doha, Royal Jordanian to Amman-Queen Alia, Turkish Airlines to Istanbul-Ataturk and Tunisairto is flying to Tunis.

Libyan airline, Buraq Air, also provided domestic services as well as some flights to several international destinations including Istanbul, Ribat and Aleppo. Buraq Air had been viewed as a great success story in Libya's effort to privatise its economy and break away from the state-driven economic policies of the Libyan government, it is anticipated scheduled services by both airlines may resume in the period following the establishment of the transitional National Transitional Council administration or subsequent to the formation of an interim national government.

There were many direct flights from places such as Amsterdam to small oasis towns in the middle of the Sahara but these are operated by the oil companies for private purposes i.e. to ferry the foreign oil workers directly to the oil fields. As the country stabilises it may be anticipated these services will resume, possibly stimulated by the need to rebuild the nations damaged infrastructure.

During the war, a NATO no-fly zone prevented any aircraft from operating in Libyan airspace. Libya's civil air transport system was closed down during the conflict. Tripoli International Airport was turned over to use by the military and then later came under the control of rebel forces.

Prior to the civil war Libya had several operational airports providing services to commercial airlines.

Resumption of civil aviation services from Libyan airports:It may require an extended time for normal scheduled commercial air services to return to Libya. In early late 2011 and early 2012 several additional airlines announced plans to re-introduce services during the 1st quarter of 2012. When services are commenced operational schedules may be subject to disruptions including delays, re-routing and flight cancellations. It is reasonable to assume that the provision of normal national civil aviation regulation and safety standards will also be subject to serious disruption.

By ship

There are ferries connecting the Libyan city of Tripoli with Malta and Sfax, Tunisia.

Previous scheduled services may take an extended time to restore, please check before ticketing for any service.

By train

By train

Libya has no international train connections and no domestic train infrastructure.

By car

By car

One may travel to Libya overland. There are bus and "shared taxi" accommodating 6 people in a station wagon services from such places as Tunis, Alexandria, Cairo and Djerba.

There are accounts of people having done the trip in their own 4x4s or using their own dirt bikes and campervans. There are very few borderposts open to travel into the country with a foreign car: Ras Jdayr from Tunisia and Bay of As Sallum from Egypt. At the border, one has to buy a temporary licence including a number plate for €300 March 2008.

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